Blind Ambition | ✓

25 | Ghosts, Part I

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said, "I did it my way"

I just want to live while I'm alive

It's my life

Anthony hopped back off the couch and ran into the kitchen, quickly returning with what was left of the champagne bottles from that morning's mimosa stint when it was still too early for beer. He handed Chris and I one each before joining us back on the couch as the chorus kicked in again. We shook the bottles and sprayed them at each other like the Formula 1 drivers did on the podiums.

The music went on as the entire party erupted into beer throwing, off-key singing life. It was like something out of a movie, and even though the champagne stung my eyes and soaked my shirt, I never wanted this moment to end.

Jordyn appeared beside the couch, a wide dimpled smile spread across her rosy cheeks. Something swelled in me, and maybe it was just fizzy elation from the champagne, but her smile made me smile. I jumped off the couch and swooped her into a long, heavy kiss as more beer and champagne rained down on us.

The song ended, and the party seemed to return to a faint, drunken lull. Some people - like me - had been partying for upwards of 5 hours straight, and it was starting to show. I found space on a different couch in the corner that wasn't soaked in beer and champagne. I was hot and sticky and needed to stick my head out of the open door into the winter air, but I settled for sitting beside it.

Jordyn flopped down next to me, nearly spilling the contents of whatever fruity drink was in her cup all over the both of us. She threw her long legs over my lap and reached over, squeezing my cheeks with her hand.

"You're so handsome, you know that?" she squealed, that same dimpled smile spread wide across the heated redness of her cheeks.

"And you're so drunk," I chuckled. She climbed over me so that she was fully situated on my lap, straddling my waist.

"So are you," she giggled, running a hand through my hair. She pressed her forehead to mine, reaching down and unbuttoning the top few buttons of my shirt. "Let's go upstairs."

I gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Not as drunk as you though, which is why we're not gonna do that, okay?"

Jordyn pouted like a child who had just been denied a trip to the candy store. She let out a sigh as she nuzzled her head into the crook of my neck, keeping her hands on my chest. I let my fingers graze down her back, and even though it seemed she was teetering on the edge of being totally blacked out, she still reacted to my touch with another wistful sigh.

"Wow, she's down for the count, huh?" Rochelle lowered herself beside us and nodded her head towards Jordyn.

"She's fucking wasted," I tried to whisper, but Jordyn giggled. "I can't remember the last time I've seen her so drunk."

"Well, she's celebrating, after all her bae is a champ." The disdain in Rochelle's voice was apparent enough as she glanced at the way my hand grazed her lower back. There was a pause. "You want me to take her home?"

I arched an eyebrow. "You're leaving?"

Rochelle gave me a curt nod and one word. "Yep."

"Why?"

Rochelle placed a hand on my forearm, glancing over my shoulder as if she was expecting someone to be watching us. "We'll talk about it some other time. But if Kennedy asks if you've seen me, you haven't."

I could read between the lines. "Understood."

I lifted Jordyn's featherlight body up and carried her to Rochelle's Volvo at the curb, trying to duck in between bodies coming and going without attracting too much attention. A gust of wind dried all of the alcohol still soaking my clothes, and it made me shiver.